One of the country’s premier Asian-American contemporary dance companies, Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers (KYL/D), announces its final home season, Echo and Flame/Fenghuang Awakens, at the Mandell Theater on Friday, March 27th and Saturday, March 28th.
Echo and Flame/Fenghuang Awakens features the world premiere of Artistic Director Kun-Yang Lin’s 110th creative work, Fire Ritual Dance/Fenghuang In Us, alongside powerful repertory pieces and a special collaborative tribute. The concert is a celebration of the company’s commitment to healing, community, and the transformative power of dance, encapsulated by the mythic Fenghuang, the Chinese phoenix, a symbol of balance, harmony and renewal. This ritual-inspired journey is shaped by ancient Confucian practice, the elemental power of fire, and the myth of the Fenghuang. Through five “chapels”, Wisdom, Fire, Fenghuang, Transformation, and Us, Lin takes the audience on a journey of inner reflection and unfolding possibility. Featuring original music by Singaporean composer, Dayn Ng, and live Taiko performance by Joe Small, the work offers a shared vision of future healing and collective renewal.
An additional world premiere and tribute, 17 Moves/In Memory of Gus, is a collaborative project developed during the pandemic that honors the late dance artist Gus Solomons, Jr. (1938-2023), and features original music by Cory Neale. Based on 17 ordinary tasks assigned by Solomons, the solo will be performed by a different dance artist at each of the three performances. On opening night, it will be performed by former KYL/D Principal dancer, Liu Mo. The Saturday matinee features a performance by guest artist and projector collaborator, Dr. Pallabi Chakravorty. Kun-Yang Lin will perform the work at the company’s last performance on Saturday evening.
In addition to the two world premiere works, KYL/D will perform three acclaimed repertory pieces: Pilgrimage (Sections of From the Land of Lost Content, 2000), hailed by The New York Times for its “powerful simplicity” and a deeply spiritual work that explores themes of seeking and compassion, set to music by Philip Glass and Lama Gyurmes; MY HOME? (2015, excerpt), a poignant solo to be performed by Weiwei Ma that reflects on immigrant journeys, the meaning of “home,” and the current political climate, informed by stories from Philadelphia’s diverse South 9th Street corridor; and Spring 101 (2019, excerpt), in which Lin breathes new life into famous Baroque compositions (Vivaldi, Bach) through contemporary movement and sound design by Cory Neale, evoking the joy and excitement of new beginnings.
On Friday, February 27 @2:30pm-4pm, KYL/D will host an intimate open rehearsal, preview and discussion with the artists at its dance center, CHI Movement Arts Center (1316 S. 9th St. Phila, PA 19147). The event is FREE, but advance reservations are strongly encouraged due to limited capacity. More information available at: kyld.org/open-studio.
Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers continues to share a vision of dance that transcends cultural boundaries, inviting audiences into a deeply human experience. Echo and Flame: Fenghuang Awakens promises an evening of powerful, evocative contemporary dance that speaks to the spirit of transformation.
Tickets to Fenghuang Awakens are $100 VIP Reception / $50 General / $25 Students (discounts for groups). For tickets & more visit kyld.org/2026
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